


apart for a short while

by aizono



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Post-Golden Deer Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), feat. others but they're not vital so i'm not gonna clog up their tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24149437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aizono/pseuds/aizono
Summary: "Is Claude a terrible person for valuing the fact he has Byleth in his arms more than their victory against the remnants of the Imperial Army?"-----*waves my hand in front of your face* This is not the 100% canon compliant fic you're looking for. If your brain isn't a stickler for details then read on. Self-isolation enabled.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	apart for a short while

**Great Tree Moon, 1187**

Is Claude a terrible person for valuing the fact he has Byleth in his arms more than their victory against the remnants of the Imperial Army? 

The moment he spotted her in Derdriu, lighting the path to victory with the Sword of the Creator, he wanted to do nothing more than land by her side and give her the deepest kiss known to Fodlan. She had known that support had arrived but not who was leading it, due to the evening night. So when he had called out to her and she turned, the Sword of the Creator casting a glowing ring around her, and smiled up at him… he understood how people could look at her as if she was from heaven itself. 

After that the battle was easily taken care of. The invaders were no match for the Almyran forces, falling and (surprisingly, thankfully) surrendering soon after their appearance. Claude was promptly body tackled by Leonie, who called over the rest of their ex-classmates who were present. In their time apart Leonie was becoming an accomplished mercenary and, she was proud to inform him, was starting to become known as the Blade Breaker.

Hilda gave him a hard time about “who do you think you are” and “showing your face only after I’ve built up a sweat!” But ultimately stated that she was happy to see him again and complimented his ‘messy hairband’ style. 

Marianne visited the group rather than joining it, flitting between them and the various wounded. When Claude finally gained her full attention she simply said that she was ‘looking into Crests’ and checked him for injuries before disappearing into the shadows. He’d always thought a healer-assassin combination was odd but she seemed to fall into it without issue. That time she’d spent in Abyss studying to be a Trickster was time well spent.

Seeing everyone again- and alive- made Claude happy, no doubt. But nobody could deny that he was itching to see Byleth again. He was eventually convinced that Hilda was stalling him just to see him squirm. Petty revenge for his tardiness, no doubt. Once this was realized he couldn’t stand the torture any longer and pushed past her, happy to hear Leonie silence Hilda’s whining as he walked away.

And now here he was, with Byleth back in his arms and him in her own. It’s been eight months. He had once gone much longer but this had been different. This time what had separated them could have easily been solved with a journey across the border but Goddess knows the scandal that would have caused. He couldn’t risk it, for both himself and for her. 

“An insurrection… I can’t believe it…”

He exhales heavily, “Byleth…”

“I thought it was all going well, Claude. I thought people were happy. Nobody _said_ anything,” 

“Rebels tend to be the secretive type,” He strokes the back of her head, “The new Fodlan is young, of course there’s going to be bumps along the way. Don’t let them fool you into thinking that your ruling is anything but a good thing. You can’t afford them slithering their way into your mind.”

Byleth shifts against him and he reluctantly loosens his arms. Her arms move from his shoulders to around his midriff, her hands meeting together to close him in. Her face disappears from his sight as she lays her head on its side against his chest, facing inward. A sigh escapes her lips and he sees her shoulders slouch just a little. 

“More comfortable?” Claude pokes, resting his palms against her back.

“Yes,” 

“I’m glad, you know how much effort I put into making sure I’m-”

“Shh,”

Mentally, Claude stands to attention. Of course, they are still on a battlefield. If just one remnant of the invading army has managed to shadow them… He listens for the quietest sound, looks for the most obscure sight, prepares himself for an impact, a dodge. Acutely, his awareness of his dagger, his arrows, and the Sword of the Creator. The room has one door- closed, no lock- and one window- narrow and long, built for archers to fire out of. 

“What’s wrong?”

He blinks, “Perhaps you should tell me,”

Byleth looks up at him, “Your heart is beating faster. Should I put my head somewhere else?”

Oh. His heart. Is that it? She wanted him to be quiet for that? There’s no danger, no shadows in the corner? Yep, that’s it. He really was ready to bring his dagger out just because the love of his life wanted to listen to his heartbeat. Idiot.

He shakes his head with a smile, “Nah, I’m just coming down from flying into battle. Well, that, and-” He leans in, “-I just realized I’m alone with my fiancée,” 

“Ah,” Byleth’s eyes light up, not just because of the candle flickering in the slight breeze. “My fiancé,” 

She says it with such warmth that Claude’s heart warms up. So relieved, so happy. Byleth steps out of the embrace to sit down and Claude slides down next to her, resting his weight against the wall. She likes a bit of space after a battle. 

“How is Almyra?” She asks. 

Big. Busy. Some of it is still finding ways to resist him. Things are looking up but it’s going to be a while before he’ll be able to instil reforms without a civil war breaking out. He knows that and is willing to take as many small steps as he must in order to reach his destination. Getting there slowly is better than taking a blood-soaked shortcut. 

“You’re not missing much. It’s similar to Fódlan, really, a bunch of nobles squabbling over other people’s lives like they own them,” His distant gaze betrays his devil-may-care tone. 

“I see,” Byleth hums, “I was told that it’s very beautiful. One of the soldiers said the houses in some cities are painted white. It made me think of your wyvern. I was thinking that it would be nice to see it with you. When that’s possible,”

“Come back with me to Almyra,” The words fall out. There it is. That longing, that desire he’s tried to hide beneath himself for years. If he were a theatrical person, Claude would slam his hand over his mouth in shock. However he is not, and so remains frozen in this moment of transparency. 

“Now?” Byleth blinks. Her eyes drift as she absorbs his words. 

“I-” Foolish! She can’t come, not so soon! The nobles have only just taken to him as their king. To bring her into the Almyran court… He had caught the look in his mother’s eyes when he told her who he wished to marry- who he had promised himself to. Confusion, frustration, pity, _fear_. The court would eat Byleth alive. 

“Sorry, Teach, dunno what came over me,” Claude raises his hands in apology. “I’m just homesick, I guess. And wifesick,” Byleth leans forward to rest her elbow in her knee, placing her chin in her hand, “Eugh, actually, I take that back. The word, I mean, not the sentiment. There’s gotta be a word that doesn’t sound as bad…”

“Pining! That’s the word. I’ve been… pining… for you…”

It would be silly to blush, he thinks, after telling one’s own betrothed that you’ve missed them. But that’s not all of it. To say that he’s been pining for her… He’s admitting that she’s not just in his mind but in his heart, so much so that to be without her breeds and ennui unique to her absence. He can imagine others declaring such a thing (the soft hearted Dimitri comes easily to mind) but himself? Claude von Riegan? King Khalid? He can’t recall being emotionally open so recently. 

“Claude?” When Byleth pulls his head out of the clouds, Claude finds that he has slid down the wall next to her. 

“Uh, yeah?” He responds dumbly.

Her hand clasps his, “I’ve missed you, too,” A pause as she chews the inside of her cheek, “I… Fódlan needs a ruler. It needs a leader. Someone for people to look to, someone to teach them. Claude, I’m-”

“It’s alright, Byleth. It’s alright,” He knows, of course. Probably before even she did. Byleth, the Ashen Demon, the Ruler of Dawn, and soon, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Fódlan. For a while the legitimacy of a common merc becoming the ruler of all of Fódlan was entertained as the fantasy it sounded like. It still feels unreal. He needed to hear it from her for it to be brought into the light but now he doesn’t want the shroud of uncertainty to be lifted. As soon as one complication appears to be solved, three more grow in its stead. 

“As much as I want to pick you up into my arms and fly over the mountains with you,” He looks wearily down at their hands, “Your new world needs you, as much as mine does myself,” 

Her head comes to rest against his. He sees her sigh blow her hair away from her face. “I know,” 

They bask in each other’s company, ignoring the sun rising outside.

**Author's Note:**

> "After ascending the throne as the first leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan, Byleth sought to rebuild the war-torn towns and villages and to help guide the reformation of the Church of Seiros. After a few months of peace, remnants of the Imperial army joined with those who slither in the dark and marched upon the capital city of Derdriu. The new kingdom lacked the power to repel the invaders, but when defeat seemed imminent, a battle cry rang out from the east. Claude, the newly-crowned King of Almyra, led a mighty army that broke through the rebel forces with ease. This show of solidarity forever altered the course of history, heralding a new age of unity."
> 
> If you liked this and wish to support me, find me on my tumblr https://aizonokimi.tumblr.com/ <3


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